We decided to send you a few pictures and some of what we experienced last Monday. Sister Wright, who is serving with her husband at the Mission office across the street, offered to guide us to a couple of places we might enjoy. She is quite the lady. So courageous! She has a car and drives herself anywhere she wants to go. (Her husband is the lawyer for the church in this area.) She went with a few couples in our van to the old Manila Hotel and the Coconut Palace. On the way there we caught our first view of the ocean in Manila Bay. The old hotel was built before World War II and was bombed and then restored later. ( General Douglas McArthur lived in this hotel during the first part of the war.) It is now in elegant condition and we marveled at the architecture, furnishings, beautifully dressed people who work there. We had a tour of some areas and then ate lunch there. Most of our lunches were between $8 and $10 US and were very good. I had fish (a variety I had never heard of) potatoes, and steamed vegetables; Irv ordered Pork, garlic mashed potatoes, and vegetables. It was so good! Of course there were other more Filipino choices on the menu, but we were afraid they would be too spicy. Others had salmon, veggie pizza, salad and so on. We stopped on our way out to buy some bread and sweet rolls that looked and tasted so good. There was a small musical group playing all this time and very few people around us in the hotel.
Then we drove a short distance to the Coconut Palace. It has this name because it is shaped in a hexagon and all through the building are hexagon shapes: the glass in the doors, floor tiles etc. The lights, furniture and other furnishing reflect or are made of part of the coconut shell. The huge table was all inlayed with tiny pieces of coconut which they said were put together by children because they had smaller fingers and could do it. This palace was built for the visit of one of the Popes and then when he arrived, he refused to stay there because it was too elegant for him. President Marcos and his wife used it for one of their homes after that. The furnishings in it were very interesting. There was a large swimming pool in the back and just beyond that was Manila Bay. It was very beautiful. The windows were designed to slide open, or close as needed with an outside wooded shutter or awning also. There were many bedrooms and each with a bathroom. We never did see a kitchen.
We are getting more used to our daily routine and are now on the morning shift, getting up at 4:00 in the morning each day. The hardest thing I have to do at the temple is to stay awake during a session we officiate in. The Filipino Brothers and Sisters have most of the supervisor positions, when there are enough of them there. We are to support them and help them so that at some time they will be able to take all the responsibility of the temple. They were so happy to learn that the new temple president was born in Manila and has served as a mission president here. He is now living in Salt Lake City. He will take over the responsibility of this temple in October or November.
We are so thankful there is a temple here in the Philippines. There are so many faithful saints here who come to receive the blessings of the temple and to extend them to others who have passed on. Every time a new group of missionaries come to the MTC across the street, there are many who have not received their endowments and come to the temple in large groups for this purpose. Next Thursday we are to assist part of a group of about 70 in receiving their own endowments. Some are from Malaysia and do not know any English. They will have a translator but most will not be able to understand all that is said, only through the Spirit. They will have headsets in the Endowment session.
Our understanding and gratitude for the temple is increasing and we are thankful we serve the people here in the Philippines.
Elder and Sister Barfuss
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